We have long been taught that modern global history began when the 'Old World' encountered the 'New', when Christopher Columbus 'discovered' America in 1492. But, in a groundbreaking new book, Dr. Caroline Dodds Pennock conclusively shows that for tens of thousands of Aztecs, Maya, Totonacs, Inui...
Matt Lewis continues his Mystery Month on Gone Medieval with another tantalising enigma of the Middle Ages - the legendary figure of Prester John.
Thereβs a long history to the myth that βout thereβ in the east, a pious and noble Christian king ruled over a mighty kingdom β ο¬lled with strange be...
The darkest nights of the year have long been the time for celebrations, from Yule and Mother Night, to Christmas and New Year's Eve. But where did these traditions come from? Who started kissing under the mistletoe? Why are trees decorated and brought into homes around this time of year? And how...
January 2023 is Matt Lewisβs Mystery Month on Gone Medieval and for his first foray into the unsolved enigmas of the Middle Ages, Matt looks into the death of King Edward II.
Most historians agree that Edward died at Berkeley Castle in Gloucestershire on 21 September 1327, but some think he may...
Poland is not normally thought of as an important part of the Viking world. But as a key geographical location on the Baltic Sea, it was in fact a crucial meeting point between east and west. So what kind of presence did the Vikings have in Poland? And what was the connection between the region a...
The Three Musketeers paints a picture of King Louis XIII of France as a rather weak monarch controlled by his powerful chief minister Cardinal Richelieu. Louisβ reign is generally thought of as being the beginning of the βage of absolutismβ when ministers like Richelieu were in the ascendancy and...
You can argue that plastics were invented to save nature from human depredationβ¦that plan backfired a bit!
Early plastics were designed as substitutes for scarce natural products like ivory and shellac or the shells of endangered snails. But it didnβt take long for things to get out of hand.
In...
The Open Plan Office. A little bit of you might die inside every time you hear those words. But we promise you the history of how they came to be is worth hearing.
Born at the same time as the counter cultural revolution of the 60s, Open Plan was supposed to create the offices that the egalitari...
Many of us are seeing in a new year, but of course there are, even today, several different ways of marking dates and years in various parts of the world. The most popular calendar, though, is the Gregorian, introduced in October 1852 by Pope Gregory XIII.
In this episode of Not Just the Tudors,...
Itβs December 1912 and weβre joining in with the festivities at Highclere Castle, in London England. The prime minister is Herbert H. Asquith and King George V is on the throne. Across the Atlantic, America has left the Gilded Age behind and elected Woodrow Wilson as president.
Downton Abbey, th...
How long have people been hoping for Santa to hurry down their chimneys for?
Whether itβs because heβs a bear, a dom or the ultimate daddy - in this episode weβre discussing attraction to Santa and Father Christmas.
Listen as Kate takes us through Santaβs more sordid history. Then, to find out ...
Today weβre bringing you an episode from Dan Snowβs History Hit. Normally Patented service will resume in the New Year.
Accurate timekeeping is at the very root of all of the technological advances in the modern world, but how did it all begin? From Roman sundials to mediaeval water-clocks, peop...
Porpoises, beaver tails, boar's head and puffins: are just some of the exquisite dishes on medieval tables during the festive season. In this episode food historian, Annie Gray joins Dan in his kitchen to cook up some delicious Christmas fare from ages past. They make wassail - an ancient alcohol...
Abraham Lincoln is a name that's been immortalised throughout history - the 16th President who led the country through the infamous American Civil War, and ultimately abolished slavery. But who is the man behind the myth, and why is he so revered even to this day?
In this episode, James is joine...
67 million people currently inhabit the United Kingdom - but what do we know about the original, first Britons? It's no secret when looking back into pre-history that it was a time of mass migration for animals and people alike, but who were our early inhabitants, and what can we learn about them...
Ho ho ho! Come with us on a Christmas tale of invention as we talk to the worldβs only Christmas Cracker historian, Peter Kimpton of Norwich.
πHear about Tom Smith the inventor of the Christmas Cracker
πDiscover the strangest Christmas Cracker ever made
π§βπLearn what makes the βCRACKβ!
Produced...
A warning that this episode contains descriptions of genocide and terms for groups which were classified that way at the time.
Personal accounts of the Second World War are far and wide, and an invaluable tool for learning about one of the most devastating conflicts in history - but what can we l...
Like most aspects of the organisation, the CIA drone programme is shrouded in secrecy. With covert bases located across the globe, all armed with high tech sensors and precision missiles, it begs the questions, is anywhere safe in this new modern age? But how did the CIA drone programme begin, an...
Professor Suzannah Lipscomb presents her annual review of the year, recommending the finest history books she has discovered, the best television shows sheβs watched, and the biggest historical discoveries that have changed the way we understand - or which shed new light upon - the Tudors, but no...
Almost at the centre of Europe, Budapest, is at the crossroads of geographical regions and of civilizations, at the intersection of ancient trade routes. Mountains that gradually slope into gentle hills converge on a great river, the Danube, and the regions of Buda and Pest sprang up on either si...
Why do grandmas wear bloomers? How did romans clean themselves after using the toilet? Pillows were originally made of stone?! These are all questions Orla, Wolf and Zia Snow have for author and public historian Greg Jenner. In this episode Dan and his children quiz Greg about the incredible hist...
In the early hours of 30Β October 1961, a bomber took off from an airstrip in northern Russia and began its flight through cloudy skies over the frigid Russian Arctic. Hanging below this Soviet plane was a nuclear bomb the size of a small school bus. It was the largest and most powerful bomb ever ...
What is βgoodβ sex? Why might you need to get your protractor out in the bedroom? And when was foreplay βinventedβ?
In this episode, Kate is getting sex advice from Sarah Jones. From handbooks to hardbacks, Sarah shares the different advice that men and women of different backgrounds would recei...
In English cities of the 17th century, there was plenty to offend the eyes, ears, nose, taste buds, and skin of inhabitants. Residents were scarred by smallpox, refuse rotted in the streets, pigs and dogs roamed free.
In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to...
